Thousands trapped without enough food, water or medicine — Lubinets

Hundreds of civilians, including children, may be trapped in Russian-occupied Oleshky and nearby communities in Kherson Oblast, according to Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets. The situation is dire, with residents lacking essential necessities like food, clean water, and medicine. Lubinets stated that those who managed to return described a long-standing catastrophe, with food supplies exhausted and no access to water or medical aid.

Volunteer groups have managed to provide limited food via drone, but the supplies are insufficient for the thousands still in the area. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry claims Russia deliberately created a humanitarian disaster by blocking food, medicine, and humanitarian missions, obstructing evacuations, and preventing a ceasefire.

Despite Ukrainian proposals, Russia has not implemented the agreements. Leaving is perilous due to heavily mined roads, drone attacks, and shelling. Lubinets believes a one-day evacuation could be achieved if the ceasefire were maintained. The Ukrainian military participated in negotiations, with officials from both sides supposed to keep direct contact.

However, Russia has not confirmed readiness to proceed. Approximately 2,000 people remain in Oleshky itself, while around 6,000, including 182 children, are scattered across the wider community and surrounding settlements. Since Russia's invasion, Oleshky's population has dropped from 24,000 to around 2,000, while the broader community has declined from 40,000 to approximately 6,000.

Five settlements have been completely destroyed, and three others are about 80% damaged. Food supplies ceased reaching Oleshky in late May, and reports suggest some residents are consuming dog meat due to extreme hunger. Eleven people have reportedly escaped on foot, some walking over 20 kilometers to Radensk. The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations has labeled Oleshky as under a humanitarian blockade and called for international assistance.

Ukraine highlighted the crisis during the UN General Assembly, criticizing international organizations for failing to secure access to trapped civilians. The area, near the front line on the occupied left bank of the Dnipro River, lacks electricity, gas, clean water, and regular humanitarian aid.